Frontier Airlines’ Gold Elite Status (formerly Elite 20k) is the second tier in its frequent flyer program, offering even more exclusive benefits than the Silver tier.
Members of the Gold tier can enjoy benefits such as priority boarding, a free carry on bag, premium seat at check-in, and more.
In this article, we will provide a comprehensive guide to Frontier’s Gold Elite Status, including how to earn it, its benefits, and how it compares to other elite tiers in the program.
Frontier Gold Status Benefits
Gold Elite status substantially enhances your Frontier travel experience with all Silver benefits plus several significant additions. One of the most valuable perks is the free carry-on bag benefit, which eliminates this common fee on every flight you take. Your seating options expand considerably with standard or preferred seats available at booking time and premium or preferred seats becoming accessible at check-in, all subject to availability. Gold members enjoy an improved boarding process with personal Zone 1 boarding priority, while maintaining Zone 2 boarding for companions traveling on the same reservation. Beginning in 2025, Gold members will receive complimentary upgrades to UpFront Plus seating when available four hours before departure. These special seats feature extra legroom and a guaranteed empty middle seat for additional comfort. Your earning potential increases significantly with a 40% mile multiplier on eligible Frontier purchases made through official channels.
Frontier Elite Status Levels
Frontier Miles offers four distinct elite status tiers, each requiring a specific number of Elite Status Points earned within a calendar year: Once you achieve a status level, you’ll maintain it for the remainder of the current calendar year plus the entire following year. For instance, if you earn Elite Gold status in October 2025, you’ll enjoy those benefits through December 31, 2026.
How to Earn Frontier Elite Miles
You can earn Frontier Elite Status Points through several methods: Frontier Airlines purchases, credit card spending, status matches, or direct purchase. When you make qualifying purchases on FlyFrontier.com—including flights, baggage fees, seat assignments, priority boarding, and other extras—you earn both redeemable miles and Elite Status Points. Regular members earn 10 Elite Status Points per dollar spent, while existing elite members earn at accelerated rates: Elite Silver (12 points), Elite Gold (14 points), Elite Platinum (16 points), and Elite Diamond (20 points). The Frontier Airlines World MasterCard® provides an additional path to status. You’ll earn 1 Elite Status Point per dollar spent on purchases. This means spending $10,000 on the card in a calendar year would earn enough points for Elite Silver status. Certain purchases earn fixed amounts of Elite Status Points rather than being based on spend. GoWild! passes and Discount Den memberships have predetermined point values that increase with your elite level. For example, a GoWild! Annual Pass earns 6,000 Elite Status Points for regular members but 12,000 points for Elite Diamond members. Frontier occasionally offers status match opportunities for those with elite status on other airlines. Frontier has also been known to sell elite status outright during promotional periods, providing another potential shortcut to obtaining benefits. I’ve personally participated in a status match for just $99 and received approximately $400 in value through free seat selections, complimentary bags, and priority boarding.
Best Credit Cards for Frontier Airlines
There are a lot of great credit cards that you can use to book Frontier Airlines flights, but you should use a credit card with these two characteristics:
Trip Delay Insurance: Frontier Airlines is not the most reliable airline. If there is a cancellation or major delay, it generally takes a lot longer to get you to your final destination because Frontier lacks backup planes. This is why I always book a low-cost carrier like Frontier or Allegiant with a card with trip delay insurance.
Ability to Redeem Points for Travel: Collecting Frontier Airlines miles for a free flight is generally not a great deal because (1) Frontier charges a fee of up to $75 to book a reward flight, and (2) their flights are fairly inexpensive, so redeeming other points for Frontier Airlines flights is better value.
Therefore, my recommended credit cards for Frontier Airlines flights are:
- Best No Annual Fee: Bilt Mastercard® (review).
- Best Starter Travel Card: Chase Sapphire Preferred® Card (review).
- Best for Airport Lounge Access:Capital One Venture X Rewards Credit Card (review).
